Rural Roadway Safety
South Carolina has some of the most dangerous rural roadways in the nation, ranking number 1 in 2022. Before ever operating agricultural equipment on roadways, ensure you have a slow-moving vehicle (SMV) sign on your equipment if you are traveling less than 25 mph, that all of your lights are on and working, and that you lock your left and right brakes together. Keeping our rural roadways safe for agricultural equipment operators means that both the operator of the agricultural equipment and passenger vehicles do everything to keep everyone safe.
Common Rural Roadway Hazards
Agricultural workers and motorists may encounter hazards such as:
- Slow-moving farm equipment
- Wide or oversized machinery
- Blind hills or curves
- Narrow roads and bridges
- Limited shoulders
- Poor nighttime visibility
- Unmarked or lightly marked intersections
- Mud or debris on roadways
- Drivers attempting to pass farm equipment unsafely
- Distracted or impatient drivers
Farm Equipment – Make Yourself Visible
Farm equipment operators can help reduce collisions by making your equipment as visible as possible.
Before traveling on public roads:
- Make sure headlights, taillights, and warning lights are working properly.
- Keep the SMV sign clean and visible when required.
- Use appropriate reflective materials and lighting.
- Make sure your mirrors are adjusted properly.
- Avoid covering warning signs or lights with equipment or loads.
- Use turn signals whenever possible.
- Know the width and height of your equipment before entering the roadway.
Motorist – Share the Road
Drivers approaching agricultural equipment should remember that farm machinery may be traveling significantly slower than normal traffic.
Motorist should:
- Slow down when approaching farm equipment.
- Maintain a safe following distance.
- Watch for turn signals and hand signals.
- Be prepared for equipment to turn into a field or driveway.
- Avoid passing unless there is enough visibility and a safe, legal opportunity.
- Never pass near hills, curves, intersections, or other areas where visibility is limited.
- Be patient; farm equipment may need to use more than one lane.
A few extra minutes are worth protecting a life. The person operating agricultural equipment is always someone’s everything.
Passing Farm Equipment
Passing agricultural equipment can be dangerous because farm machinery may be wider than it appears or may make unexpected movements.
Before passing:
- Make sure passing is legal.
- Check for oncoming traffic.
- Look for intersections, driveways, hills, and curves.
- Watch for turn signals or other indications that the equipment may be turning.
- Make sure you have enough space to safely pass.
- Return to your lane only after you have safely cleared the equipment.
Never assume a slow-moving vehicle is going straight just because it is traveling slowly.
Nighttime Travel
Visibility becomes even more important after dark.
Farm equipment operators should:
- Use required lighting and reflectors.
- Keep lights and reflective devices clean.
- Check that all warning lights are functioning before leaving the farm.
- Avoid traveling during periods of extremely poor visibility when possible.
Motorists should remain especially alert for agricultural equipment that may be difficult to see at night.
Farm Family & Employee Safety
Everyone involved in farm operations should understand roadway safety procedures.
Make sure employees and family members know:
- Which roads equipment should use.
- How to safely enter and exit fields.
- How to communicate with other equipment operators.
- Where blind spots are located.
- How to use warning lights and SMV emblems.
- What to do if equipment breaks down on the roadway.
Good communication can prevent confusion and reduce the risk of collisions.
